


Save Me

by SpencerRemyLvr



Series: A Collection of Ideas [25]
Category: Criminal Minds, X-Men - All Media Types
Genre: Aftermath of Violence, Anxiety, Do not read if these trigger you, Domestic Violence, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Hurt Spencer, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mental Health Issues, PTSD, Recovery, Spencer is a Summers, badly written Cajun accent
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-12
Updated: 2016-11-12
Packaged: 2018-08-30 12:15:45
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,284
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8532655
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpencerRemyLvr/pseuds/SpencerRemyLvr
Summary: Sometimes it feels like he's got a sign on him that just screams 'hurt me' to the world. Spencer's almost come to terms with the fact that this just might be the only thing he can ever expect in his life. It's going to take the combined efforts of his entire family to make him finally be able to see otherwise.





	

From the privacy of his office, Aaron Hotchner watched through his window as his team of agents sat at their desks, completing their paperwork. More accurately, he was watching one agent in particular, the same way he had been for a little while now. Aaron watched as Dr. Spencer Reid shifted in his seat yet again. There was something going on with his youngest agent; something that the Unit Chief had yet to be able to figure out. Whatever it was, it worried him. At first the change had been gradual, happening over a couple months, stretched out in a way that none of them had really noticed. Then, small things had started to come to Aaron’s attention. Little differences in the Spencer they’d all come to know and love. He wasn’t the same anymore.

Some of it might not seem that big to other people. Those people didn’t know Spencer the way that his friends did. It was the little things that added together, building up to paint a bigger picture. Like the way that Spencer had started to avoid touch once more. A lot of people attributed that to his shyness, or assumed he suffered from some form of autism. His teammates knew about his mutation, about his empathy and electricity, and they knew that sometimes he couldn’t touch because he was low on control. But that was only occasionally, not constantly. This…this had become a constant thing. Rarely did Spencer let anyone touch him anymore unless he absolutely had to.

Or there was the lessening in his rambles. Aaron had watched and observed and he’d seen how little Spencer rambled at them compared to the way he once had. Now, some might see that as a blessing. Everyone had been stuck in a Reid-Ramble before on a topic they had no interest in but were stuck listening to until he wound down. They just took that as being a part of him and mostly, they lived with it, even if they were occasionally frustrated. Aaron had never thought he’d miss them. But he did. He couldn’t remember the last nonsense ramble he’d heard from the young man. Work related, yes. Personally? Not for a while.

And those were just two small things. There were so many others that Aaron was seeing. There was the slightly gaunt look to Spencer's face, as if he’d lost weight or had recently been very ill. That was actually one of Aaron’s fears. He couldn’t help but worry and wonder if the young man was sick and wasn’t telling them. He rarely ate around them, usually seen with only a cup of coffee in hand. He didn’t look as if he slept well some mornings while others he looked fine. He was bundling himself in warm clothes even more than normal for him. It worried Aaron enough that he’d finally sent Spencer to get himself checked out. The genius had come in the next day with a clean bill of health from his private doctor, not a Bureau doctor. Still, Aaron couldn’t argue it. What reason would he have to do so?

There had to be something to fix this. Aaron was afraid that, if he didn’t figure out something, he was going to lose his agent. He couldn’t explain the fear, but it sat low in his gut, a niggling sensation that wouldn’t go away. He’d learned to trust that feeling.

There was a knock on his door moments before Dave poked his head in the room. “You got a minute?”

Pushing back his dark thoughts, Aaron shifted into work-mode, straightening in his chair. “Of course. Come in.” He waited as Dave came in, shutting the door behind him. Once his friend and co-worker was seated, Aaron asked “What can I do for you, Dave?”

“I’m here about Reid.” The man said bluntly. It was a trait Aaron enjoyed in his friend. Dave never pulled his punches, especially when talking with a friend. He looked at Aaron and was completely upfront as he told him “There’s something going on with him. I’ve been watching him and I’ve seen you watching him too. And Morgan and Prentiss both have come to me, worried about him. He’s wasting away in front of us, Aaron, and I can’t figure out why.”

A deep sigh slid out of Aaron. He sat back in his chair and looked again toward his window, his eyes going toward the agent in question. One of Spencer’s hands was up, fingers rubbing at his temple in a gesture that might have been absent in others, but they all knew signified a headache in Spencer. “I don’t know what to do for him. I made him see a doctor, but he brought me a clean bill of health.”

“There’s no way he’s perfectly healthy.” Dave countered.

Aaron nodded at him. “I know. It’s not like I can accuse him of lying or bribing a doctor, though. My hands are tied unless something clues us in, Dave.”

“What he needs is to get out of here for a while. Morgan’s worried his empathy is burning him out a little and that he might need a break away from the horror. Apparently he tried telling the kiddo that and Reid refused a vacation. Doesn’t he ever take one?” Chuckling, Dave shook his head, a corner of his mouth quirking.

This time it was Aaron’s turn to smile a little. “Not unless forced. Even then, he generally gives his days away. Right now he’s got about two months’ worth built up. He just won’t ever go and I can’t force him.” Those words sparked something in Aaron. He paused, going utterly still as his brain thought it out. The idea grew in his mind. The more it grew, the more certain he became that it was the right thing to do. It made perfect sense. Why he hadn’t thought of it already, he didn’t know.

“You’ve thought of something.” Dave interrupted his thoughts. “What is it?”

It took a second for Aaron to pull himself out of his thoughts enough to answer. “I can’t force him to take a vacation, but I know someone that can.” Even as he picked up the phone, he looked at Dave, an honest smile on his face. “If there’s anyone that can figure out what’s going on, it’ll be Scott. I can’t believe I didn’t think of this before.”

“Ah, one of the mysterious brothers. I’ve heard plenty about him but I haven’t met him yet.”

“He understands Reid better than anyone. He’ll make him take a vacation, whether Reid wants it or not. I think Scott is more a father than a brother to him.” Aaron cut off as the person on the other end of the phone answered. “Hello, Scott. This is Agent Hotchner. No, Reid isn’t injured. I’m actually calling for your help with him…”

Fifteen minutes later, after a long conversation with Scott and a quick phone call to take care of the time off request, Aaron sat back in his seat once more, smiling at Dave. “Well, it’s official. Starting tomorrow, Spencer Reid is on a two month vacation from the BAU.”

Dave smiled right back at him. “He’s not going to be happy with you.”

“I know. That’s why I’m allowing Scott to be the one to inform him.” The two men chuckled at that. Aaron found himself turning once more, looking out at Spencer. “Let’s hope this helps. Because, if this doesn’t work, I don’t know what else to do.”

Together, the two men stared into the bullpen, each one hoping that this would finally help fix whatever was broken inside of their friend.


End file.
